At the Shouryu Ninpou
by kissa-pon
Summary: Sakura wants to attend the renowned Shouryu Ninpou; a lavish and popular event that a lot of shinobi participate in. The catch: it is exclusive for males. But this doesn't deter Sakura and disguises herself as a guy.Even Neji got fooled.Or so she thought.


Kiseki

Summary: Sakura wants to attend the renowned Shouryu Ninpou; a lavish and popular event that a lot of shinobi participate in. The catch: it is exclusive for males. But this doesn't deter Sakura and disguises herself as a guy. No one would be able to recognize her, right? Even Neji got fooled. Or so she thought. NejiSaku

Author's note: Hi! Thanks for taking interest in reading this fanfic. Please do review afterwards. I tried my hardest to not make them too OOC. This will probably be just full of fluff, since I would like to slowly establish their subtle attraction to one another. This would probably be around five chapters.

Disclaimer: This author does not own Naruto or its characters.

Chapter One: The Invitation

Oh how her day has finally brightened!

Haruno Sakura just couldn't help the growing smile on her face as she held the scroll in front of her. She marveled at the gold trimmings that adorned the back cover of the scroll while a slender finger trailed the embossed heading inside. "Shouryu…" she read aloud.

The excited scream she had been trying to keep finally let itself loose.

Shouryu Ninpou has been an event held every five years and it was an event that the kunoichi has been eyeing on. It was a well-respected and organized occasion that invites talented and promising shinobi from all the corners of the Fire Country. Not only does it provide great training grounds and great references of jutsu, it's a great getaway and relaxation for the participants. This year, the council of the Shouryu Ninpou has decided to open their doors to others who are interested to participate the said event but would have to pass an examination; hard enough for not just anyone to pass it.

She took the exam and passed it; piece of cake. She wasn't the Godaime's student for nothing after all.

The icing on the cake: She actually played as a guy really damn well.

"Haruno, settle down…" she said to herself as she contained her excitement back and returned the scroll back to her locker. Her focus right now should be following her schedule for today at the hospital, check on patients, overlook the interns; quite a long list of things to do before she could muse on the fact that she was going to Shouryu. With a sigh, she pulled out a folder and started scanning the content. Her thoughts however were soon interrupted by a familiar screech.

"Sa-ku-ra!" Yamanaka Ino has come stomping into the hospital with an I-can't-believe-you-really-did-it look on her face; her blonde hair bouncing behind her. "Sakura!" Ino yelled again, stressing ever syllable.

Sakura, still keeping her eyes on the files she was holding, raised one of her eyebrows. "Ino, we're in a hospital and I'm just in front of you. No need to yell," she muttered at her blonde friend as she checked out the things she has done for today in the hospital and see what else she needed to do. "Oh, I still need to check if that four-man cell of Anbu is good to go – hey!" Sakura yelped in protest as Ino rudely took away her file and hid it from Sakura's eyes.

"Are you crazy?" the blonde hissed, only to be frowned upon by the pink-haired medic.

"What?"

Ino made a concerned face and crossed her hands over her chest followed by a sigh. "I can't believe you. You're really going to go to Shouryu?" she asked incredulously as Sakura gave her a small smile.

"Ino-chan, this is really something I want to challenge myself with," she said.

Ino snorted in reply. "A challenge, Sakura? This isn't just a child's game. It's the Shouryu Ninpou we're talking about. I know I taunted you a couple of weeks about being a macho girl-turned-guy but I wasn't expecting you to actually do it!" Ino exclaimed, shaking her head in disbelief.

Yes. Probably one of the reasons Sakura wanted to go to the said event was because of Ino. They were on a shopping trip one day and Sakura wasn't in the mood to shop at all. She was supposed to be training and had wanted to meet up with Lee to spar but Ino had other ideas. The pink-haired medic gave up trying to decline Ino's shopping invitation when the blonde started yelling in her very annoying voice. Ah, what the poor Nara strategist have to go through to please this woman.

"Try this on." Ino suggested back then during that shopping day, pushing a white sundress to Sakura. The latter wrinkled her nose and pushed the clothing back to her giddy friend. "Ino, it's cute but honestly I don't see any reason why I should wear one." With hurt feelings, Ino pouted and pushed the dress back to Sakura.

"First of all, it's cute. Second, you need to own at least one dress. Third, it will look good on you."

"I do have dresses," Sakura retorted in a matter-of-fact tone. "I just can't wear something like this during trainings or missions," she stressed out as she got the dress from Ino and returned it to the rack. The blonde kunoichi gave her friend a look of disbelief.

"Trainings? Missions? I'm suggesting it for you just in case you would go on dates! How long has it been since you had some actual fun?" Sakura was about to counter that statement when Ino continued, "And no, trainings and missions are not counted," The pretty Yamanaka quickly said, as if reading her pink-haired companion's thoughts. Sakura just shrugged.

"Oh c'mon Forehead!" Ino chided playfully. "Honestly, I think you have lost your… femininity – "

"I most certainly have not!" Sakura butted in hotly. "I just… want to focus on training myself more. I mean, it's not enough that I'm stuck being a medic-nin. I want to grow and be stronger. Just like Tsunade-shishou."

Ino rolled her eyes and smirked at her friend, not really caring that she's tugging on to Sakura's temper. "At least the Godaime has herself some breasts. It nulls her from being a macho."

An embarrassed blush settled itself on Sakura's cheeks; her arms voluntarily moving to cross over her chest area as if trying to cover her breasts from being exposed. "I have breasts, you pig. Albeit not as big as Tsunade-shishou's… nor yours…" Sakura muttered as Ino laughed. The pink-haired medic ignored her and gave her friend a mean glare after realization dawned to her.

"… Are you indirectly saying that I'm macho?"

Ino shrugged her shoulders and continued scanning the rack for pretty articles of clothing. "Yes. You're one macho girl-turned-guy. You should try applying for the Shouryu Ninpou. I heard they're accepting young men like you to train in their facilities," Ino taunted, pulling another dress from the rack and examining it. "Maybe by training there you could grow your breasts out. Ow!" Ino yelped angrily as Sakura hit the blonde's head with her fist. "See?" Ino pointed out, rubbing her head to relieve herself of the pain.

"You're one macho gal! That's the reason I can't find a suitable date for you!"

Sakura opened her eyes, ending the little reverie in her head from that shopping day. She turned her attention once again to her friend who was still gaping at her like she was some kind of a lunatic. Sakura grinned, "I think it's a great idea. I really want to train some more and I feel so bad for taking Lee and Kiba's spare time off their hands just for me to have someone to train with." The pink-haired medic explained to her friend. Ino wasn't buying it though.

"Forehead, Shouryu is strictly for males. And even if they actually permitted you, you'll be surrounded by men. That's like throwing a sheep in a pack of wolves! You'll be taken advantage of! You'll be – "

Before Ino's thoughts and mouth could run off, Sakura hushed her. "Oh Pig, you've been watching too many soap drama haven't you?" Sakura laughed out, walking out the nurse's room and was proceeding to the next room to check on the Anbu team. Sakura tilted her head back to Ino, who was walking behind her. "Really Ino, I've got everything under control. Shouryu Ninpou would let me in and – Oh!"

Without looking at the direction she was walking, the pink-haired medic bumped into something tall and stiff. The medic wobbled slightly and was about to fall hard on her bottom if her arm wasn't quickly caught by the person she just bumped into.

"Sakura."

The grasp on her arm tightened a bit. Sakura blinked her eyes and tilted her face up and noticed familiar beautiful silver eyes staring blankly at her. "Ah, Neji-san," the pink-haired medic greeted with a smile. She straightened her posture as the Hyuuga prodigy let her arm go. "Are you feeling better? I was about to check on your team," she asked with concern.

The stoic Hyuuga gave a slight nod, his eyes averting from Sakura and looking at Ino. "Yamanaka," he greeted as he stepped away from the two friends and continued on with his departure. Sakura frowned. She's used to Neji being all aloof and quiet, but right she felt a sense of irritation emanating from the man. He's hiding the emotion perfectly though. But Sakura being Sakura, she knew her instincts quite well.

The pink-haired medic reached out her hand and quickly grabbed his shirt, causing the Hyuuga to stop in his tracks and stare at the medic's hand clutching his clothing.

"No strenuous activities." She had to remind him yet again, "I mean it. You know the drill. If you can't follow that order, you risk being hospitalized for a month. I'm pretty sure the other nurses won't mind though…" Sakura trailed off, her lips forming into a quirky smirk when she noticed a disgruntled look on the stoic Hyuuga's face. "Hn," he grunted, Sakura now letting him go.

Without turning his head back to the two women, he took off and turned the corridor.

Ino watched the two bemusedly, while Sakura continued on with her rounds as soon as Neji left. "Oh so both of you are on first name basis now?" she playfully teased. Sakura, on the other hand, rolled her eyes.

"I don't see anything wrong with it."

Honestly, she knows where Ino's going on with this and so Sakura continued on, "No, Ino you pig. We are not dating. Seriously, out of all the people here in Konoha, we're like the least matched."

Ino's eyes sparkled as she giggled, "Oooh… defensive much?"

Sakura forced herself to ignore the giggling blonde now walking beside her. She has been in missions with Neji and frankly, she has gotten a bit close with the person but not in a romantic way as what Ino is indirectly suggesting. Her last mission was with him, Lee, and Naruto when they protected Shion-san. She has been treating him in the hospital, and it wasn't because she wants to. All of the female medics assigned to him were either too shy to approach him or too intimidated by his presence. Imagine that. And she was the only one who wasn't affected by the Hyuuga's charms and intimidating aura apparently, or so the female medics say. And so every time that Hyuuga comes in, she would come to his aid while the other medics ogled at the guy.

"Well, back to the topic at hand. I swear, you are going to be so in trouble when they caught you," Ino whispered as they passed a couple of people. "How the hell are you going to pull things off? They probably have sensors there or something that prevent Henge no Jutsu. You can't just waltz in there. I mean, your pink hair is already a dead giveaway!" she shrieked, causing some of the people hanging out in the corridor to look at the two friends.

"Pig…" Sakura muttered.

Ino stayed in the hospital, pestering Sakura about her plans and back-up plans once she gets inside Shouryou Ninpou and if her charade is caught. She annoyed the pink-haired medic to no end until the end of the shift and until they got home to the apartment they shared with.

"I am just concerned," Ino told her friend, who was now rummaging through the closet just to please the blonde. "And I really want to see what you would look like with your disguise," the blonde said helpfully as Sakura undressed in front of her and started wearing her clothing disguise.

"Well?" Sakura asked, turning her eyes to her friend. She was wearing an oversized ivory coat, loose black pants, shinobi sandals, and, as cover up for her noticeable pink hair, a short and spiky wig. She cast her emerald eyes at Ino who was giving her a pitying look.

"Ino-chan?"

"…"

"Ino!"

Ino groaned and stood up from Sakura's bed. "You look worse than Kankuro during his bad days. I know you're wearing clothes that are too loose so that your curves won't show but really Sakura, it's not credible. Even Naruto and Kiba dress better than this." Sakura muttered a sarcastic thanks as her friend helped her out of her disguise. "Give me till midnight," the blonde said as she got all the oversized clothes and proceeded to walk out of Sakura's room, "I'll fix these clothes up. Oh you owe me."

Sakura smiled and jumped on her bed with a tired sigh as Ino gently closed the door behind her. She reached for the scroll lying quietly on the foot of her bed and started reading it again. This would really be a good chance for her to train. Although she was really thankful that Lee and Kiba train with her sometimes, not only does she feel guilty of taking away their time but she also felt that they weren't giving their all. "Either they just don't think I'm at par with them or they don't want hurt me physically period," Sakura mused with a frown as she opened up the scroll again and re-read the contents.

"Room 130, neh? Hmm… That's nice…" the pink-haired murmured sleepily as her emerald eyes drifted slowly to close.

Hyuuga Neji detested being in a hospital.

If it wasn't for the fact that it was part of the protocol to get checked up after every mission, he wouldn't be stuck in this damn room, waiting. A couple of bruises and cuts are manageable despite the fact his internal organs feel like hell; he didn't need medical attention, nor does his other three ANBU teammates. The reason he's still following the protocol despite his adamant belief that he and his teammates need not be examined: a drunken Tsunade showing off her clenched fist, while the other hand held a bottle of liquor.

"_Hyuuga, if you do not get your ass in the hospital, you'll be seeing this bottle in one nasty place and your life will flash before your eyes."_

Casually, he cast his white eyes to the side and looked at his teammates who are now being meticulously studied by three medics. With a small scowl on his handsome face, he talked.

"I'm waiting."

One of the medics turned her head quickly to the already impatient Hyuuga, her round cheeks blushing in embarrassment. "Forgive me, Hyuuga-san. Should I call for another medic?"

He stared at the young medic for a while. "I asked for Haruno, didn't I?"

That woman. Where was she when she was needed in this damn place? He tilted his head to the other side and looked at the doorway where other female medics have somehow found it amusing to watch the Hyuuga. Ignoring the medic he was talking to a while ago, Neji's frown deepened.

The flustered medic intern, noticing the displeased face of the Hyuuga, shuffled her feet to the door while saying, "Forgive me, Hyuuga-san. I-I'll see…I'll see if I can find Sakura-chan within the hospital. She might have come early for her shift," she stammered, hurriedly exiting the room.

"Neji, you're kinda being a jerk," laughed Kiba, who stood up and waved gingerly at the women standing near the doorway. "Why not just ask one of them to do the routine check up so you can wipe that frown off your face and we can go home," he whined as he raised his arms, flexing his muscles a bit and resting it behind his tousled hair.

Neji, ignoring Kiba's suggestion, stood up from where he was sitting. Not only does he detest being in a hospital, he also dislikes new medics. They are a nervous wreck, they stammer a lot when they had to deal with him being a patient, they take longer with the routine check-up, and they kept staring at him in a very annoying way.

With Haruno, he was… complacent. He knew perfectly well that pink-haired woman knew what she needed to do in every hospital case. He was satisfied with how she does things at the hospital and she treated him normally, unlike other medics who seem to treat him like a snobbish aristocrat. Or it was probably because he's part of the Hyuuga clan. Either way, he didn't care. He would still rather let Sakura be his medic. Being Neji was being served with the best services. And if he was going to be detained in a hospital, he would rather have the best medic: none other than Haruno Sakura, the woman that Godaime herself trained and trusted with everything, with the exception of Shizune.

It wasn't because he liked Sakura in a very… uncomfortable romantic way. He just wants the best service and yes, he was being smug about it.

"_You are a pompous ass, Neji."_

He could remember the temperamental medic's harsh words. It was one of those times when Neji had suffered a lot of blood loss and broken bones, and Sakura was the one attending to him.

"_It is flattering that you requested me, but the next time you personally call for me again when there are other patients that need me in the hospital and when there are a lot of medics willing to take care of you, I swear I'll break each 206 bones you have in your body and you can rot to death in this hospital bed!"_

"_It was the Godaime who suggested that I be under your supervision."_

"_Like I said, you are one pompous ass."_

He smirked. It was easy to annoy the pink-haired medic. He had a small fun testing and playing with her temperament. But back then, he knew if she handled his case, he would be quickly healed, he would have a faster recovery time, and he would return to the file and rank be assigned yet to another mission. And Tsunade probably had the same sentiments.

That is why he wanted Haruno as his medic.

Not that he likes the woman or anything. It was purely out of professionalism and he knew the advantages of being Sakura's patient.

"…"

The Hyuuga's frowned deepened.

Sakura was still not present.

And he has waited for who knows how long.

The brunette Hyuuga started walking and stepped out the door, oblivious to the unwavering stares and awe of the small group of pretty women huddled near the room he just occupied.

"Hey-!" Kiba poked his head out the doorway to call out to his fellow Anbu. "You know how Tsunade feels about this!" he reminded the Anbu captain but the Inuzuka's words fell on deaf ears.

Neji continued walking. He was tired, annoyed, and frustrated. He wasted a good amount of time in this hospital. He could have trained today, met Lee and Tenten… scratch that; he wasn't in the mood to hear Lee's overzealous love for youth, Sakura, and whatnot. He could have enjoyed his time for his own pleasure.

But no, Haruno had to ruin his day.

Bringing a hand up to run his fingers through his chocolate tresses, Neji muttered under his breath. He just hated wasting time, and in the hospital for that matter, and it was either he blames himself or he blames the pink-haired medic for his bad day.

"Blaming her seems more acceptable," he mused.

Blaming himself would mean that he accepted the idea that he was really being the pompous ass Sakura had exclaimed that he is. And he would never admit that to himself; that he was that person full of pride who only acknowledges the best professionals and people into his own private space.

It wasn't like he was irked because he wasn't able to see the medic. Her best assets were her skills both as a medic and a kunoichi, granted that he didn't realize that she would turn out to be one of the best shinobi around. And he wasn't even going to mention the remarks of the other male populace.

But his mind thought otherwise.

Inwardly, he had to agree. Haruno had that alluring aura around her. Those deep jade eyes, bouncing pink locks, smooth porcelain skin, tinted-pink lips…

He scowled. His thoughts were beside the point; Sakura's best assets ended there. She was an annoying and temperamental woman who had a knack of saying bothersome words at him.

And so no, he wasn't annoyed today because he wasn't able to see her. That's just bullshit.

He suddenly looked ahead, his ears straining to hear a familiar voice.

"Really Ino, I've got everything under control. Shouryu Ninpou would let me in and – Oh!"

A bob of familiar pink shade appeared from the corner of the corridor and collided with him. The force was a bit strong enough to knock the medic and cause her stance to wobble.

Haruno.

Instinctively, Neji's hand reached out and grabbed onto her arm to save her from falling down. The kunoichi turned her face up, causing the Hyuuga to just stare back into those green orbs.

"Sakura," he greeted, still eyeing the woman. So she was just causally walking around the hospital? Wasn't she supposed to be checking on the patients? Hadn't she thought of how her other patients were waiting for her? How he made her wait?

"Ah, Neji-san. Are you feeling better? I was about to check on your team…"

He noted that there was genuine care in her voice. It was during these moments he liked irking the bubble-gum haired medic.

But for now, he was still annoyed. And he wanted to ignore her. He then let her arm go and turned his gaze to Sakura's companion, "Yamanaka," he noted, then continued on with his exit.

"No strenuous activities." He heard her say, and then he felt a gentle tug on his shirt. He turned his head towards her again; he forced his face to stay blank and he was fighting the urge to smirk yet again.

This woman is starting to remind him of the Godaime. And that is a scary thing. He let his eyes fall down and stare at her hand. Her expression and that fist and the fact they both like saying _ass_ every now and then; she's definitely turning into Tsunade alright.

"I mean it," she stressed her words. "You know the drill. If you can't follow that order, you risk being hospitalized for a month. I'm pretty sure the other nurses won't mind though…"

His expression was nothing less but grim as soon as he heard her sweet voice threatening him. Hospital? A month? The nurses? He replied a quick "Hn". Had she no idea just how infuriating she is? The other women he had and has known never annoyed her the way she did.

Quoting and agreeing with Shikamaru on this one; women are troublesome.

Sakura seemed satisfied with his answer as she let go of his shirt. He closed his eyes and turned around, not letting his eyes linger on her form.

She was annoying.

He arrived in the Hyuuga mansion half an hour later; he dropped by earlier in the training grounds and visited his friends Lee and Tenten. The exuberant Green Beast of Konoha had added to his annoyance and he had declined his offer of a hard core 24-hour of training and had reasoned out that he has just got home from an A-rank mission.

Before he could retire to his room, Neji turned his heel and proceeded to the main house of the Hyuuga mansion. It was part of the tradition to visit the clan leader and inform that they have arrived safely. Neji entered the main house and turned the corners of the Hyuuga's traditional household. His quick and gentle steps made no noise as his feet kissed the tatami mats that covered the flooring. He rounded a corner, and a couple more steps, he stopped in front of a door and took in a breath.

Quietly he knelt down and, with grace, stooped down; his forehead kissing the back of his hands that were properly placed on the floor. "Hiashi-sama, I have returned," Neji greeted cordially as he heard slow footsteps near the doorway. The shoji slid sideways, and Hiazhi's firm voice greeted him.

"I'm glad you came back safely Neji. Come, I believe there's an invitation here for you," the Hyuuga leader turned his back and walked back to where he was previously seated, which was on the open area of Hiashi's private receiving quarters. The wooden sliding doors were pushed aside and the whole room was brightened up by the open zen garden. Neji stood up and followed his uncle, sitting down just a couple of feet behind him.

"How was the mission?"

"It was a success, Hiashi-sama."

With a brief nod, Hiashi reached for the scroll sitting beside him and gave it to his nephew; the latter reaching his hand out to receive the invitation. Pulling the thin scarlet rope around it, Neji opened it and read the content.

"Shouryu Ninpou," He read. It sounded familiar.

Hiashi turned his head back to the younger Hyuuga and nodded his head in approval. "I believe you have heard of it. It's a great place to train. And from what I heard from your friend Lee, you are as passionate as he is when it comes to trainings. You should consider attending."

Hearing the words _Lee_ and _passionate_ made Neji cringed inwardly. What has that green monster told Hiashi about him? The younger Hyuuga just grunted in his thoughts. He'd rather not know.

"It would be great if you will attend Shouryu Ninpou, since you're the only male from our clan who got invited," Hiashi remarked, and Neji nodded his head in agreement.

"I will attend the event then. Whatever I learn from Shouryu Ninpou will benefit the Hyuuga's name – "

Neji trailed off, realizing something. Ah, he remembered Sakura saying the name earlier in the hospital. "Ah…I believe…" he pondered, "Haruno Sakura will be attending Shouryu Ninpou as well," the younger Hyuuga said aloud, not catching the incredulous look the elder Hyuuga was giving him.

"Well… I know that girl is very talented and would have proven herself great in that event but you probably heard wrong," Hiashi said, an amused smile appearing on his face as he continued, "What would Haruno Sakura do in such a event reserved only for males?"


End file.
